Trust Leaders

Our Leaders

The Shire Multi-Academy Trust Leaders build, develop and maintain effective relationships with all members of the Trust community and its partners. They ensure effective operation of the Trust to enhance the vision and the education of all pupils.

Our Schools

The Directors of the Trust and The Executive Headteacher has grown and established a team of leaders who inspire, challenge, motivate and empower colleagues and pupils to achieve their potential. As a collective they are strategic in their approach, effectively translate the vision into school developments and strive to achieve high standards of learning and attainment for all pupils within the Trust.

Beverley White - Finance Director

Beverley started her career in Primary Education from the age of 18 firstly as a Teaching Assistant supporting teachers in the classroom environment and then moving into the school office when local management of budgets were delegated to schools. She has 26 years of experience working in finance and has worked her way up from Finance Officer to Business Manager and now Finance Director to The Shire Multi-Academy Trust. Beverley holds that Certificate of School Business Management and AAT qualification. She uses her in-depth knowledge of financial policies and procedures to support the schools and Trust in moving forward from maintained schools to Academy status.

Lynn Cook - Head of School

Lynn qualified as a teacher in 2000 and began teaching in a large infant school working alongside experienced teachers, who nurtured and allowed her to grow as a professional. She moved in 2002 to a primary school where she Lynn took her first responsibility post. She developed exceptional interpersonal communication skill and confidence in her abilities to teach and lead others. Lynn has been part of The Shire Multi-Academy Trust since 2005 when she took up her first Senior Leadership position as Assistant Head. Since then her career has included responsibility for Teaching and Learning, Assessment, Curriculum and Inclusion. She has exceptional knowledge of child development and successfully led Early Years and Key Stage 1 departments for a number of years. Her knowledge and skills have been utilised to support primary schools in difficulties and in 2014 she set up her own Early Educators Consultancy. She has also had experience of being a Head of School within a three school Federation. Lynn returned to The Shire Multi-Academy Trust in September 2015 as Assistant Director and supports the Executive Head Teacher in the provision of professional and strategic leadership and in translating and implementing of the Trust’s Vision across its academies.

Abigail Pearce-Dyke - Director of School Improvement

Abigail has taken on a new role within the Trust which involves creating a shared model of school improvement to ensure that teaching and learning is at the very highest standard for all pupils and teachers. She is passionate about this position as it combines her experience as an outstanding practitioner throughout Key Stage Two (and particularly in Year 6) with her role as Assistant Headteacher with responsibility for Teaching and Learning. Her previous experience of working for two local authorities in a variety of settings, including areas of high social deprivation and working with children with EAL, will contribute enormously to her new role. Abigail will be working across both schools in the Trust in order to further deepen effective pedagogical approaches to teaching and learning and to support the Trust on its journey to outstanding. She will continue to run successful staff meetings and twilight sessions regarding a wide variety of areas, for example, mathematics, the curriculum and assessment in addition to working with parents as partners so that they can support their child’s experience at school in the very best way. Abigail will also continue her work as a Specialist Leader of Education.

Hayley Gunn - Deputy Headteacher - Inclusion and Safeguarding

Hayley is a knowledgeable and well established SENCo who holds a Postgraduate Certificate in Special Educational Needs Co-ordination. Her experience of teaching children from Nursery right up to Year 6 has provided her with an invaluable understanding of children’s needs at all stages of their primary development. Hayley’s thorough knowledge of the new SEND Code of Practice and has enabled her to develop bespoke systems to ensure that all children progress to their full potential through collaborative working and the meticulous support that she offers to all stakeholders. Hayley has had a wealth of success in developing positive and sustained relationships with parents as this is key part of her philosophy. She has also completed Lead Safeguarding Training and has expertise in providing nurture provision.

Shelagh Jackson - Assistant Head

With a passionate belief in providing the very best opportunities for all pupils, Shelagh has had experience of teaching in all four key stages. Her most recent role was as an assistant headteacher and key stage 1 leader but during her career she has worked as an acting deputy headteacher and key stage 2 leader, spending many years as a year 6 teacher. She has a lifelong interest in science, however, her leadership roles have been as literacy and assessment leader. She has spent many years as a school governor including four years as the chair of governors. She has enjoyed working as an NQT mentor and in other staff development roles.

Lucy Tucker - Assistant Head

Being a practitioner who is driven by new challenges, Lucy has recently been promoted to the role of Assistant Headteacher. Throughout her 9 years teaching experience, she has worked across different primary schools, in a variety of settings, within the Barnsley area, including areas of high social deprivation and vulnerability. This has enabled her to gain strong experience within both Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2. Lucy is recognised as an outstanding practitioner, who has consistently driven attainment and progress, reaching the top 5% of the country in recent Key Stage 2 Statutory Assessments. Although Lucy has spent most of her teaching career leading Year 6, she has also been fortunate enough to teach and gain experience in Year 2. This has significantly aided Lucy’s previous role as whole school maths lead, as it allowed her first-hand experience of progression and expectations within different year groups. During this time, as a dedicated and significant member of the senior leadership team, she contributed greatly in moving the school out of ‘special measures’ to ‘good’ within three years. As a key leader within school, Lucy has developed a passion for raising standards, as well as providing colleagues with the knowledge, understanding and also passion to deliver: an exciting, stimulating and highly purposeful curriculum, personalising learning for every child. As Assistant Headteacher, Lucy will continue to drive the school forwards, delivering innovative training to staff and parents, working closely with individual staff members and groups of children in order to support them in reaching their full potential. Lucy is eagerly waiting to participate in the NPQSL programme.

Georgina Fletcher - Head of School

Georgina is new to the role of Head of School. She has worked as a senior leader within Barnsley for over ten years leading in the key areas of English and Assessment. Prior to this she worked in the Secondary sector, teaching English up to Key Stage 5. She is a trained SATs marker and a moderator for the Local Authority. She has a secure understanding of what National Standards look like at different key stages and she has moderated teacher judgements across a range of settings. Georgina has a proven track record of successfully driving improvements in Literacy by embedding core skills across the curriculum. She is an experienced mentor of NQTs and student teachers and she has Lead Safeguarding training and experience.